A 3-year-old child presents with fever, neck stiffness, and a tender midline swelling on the posterior pharyngeal wall that moves with swallowing. The most likely diagnosis is:

• A Retropharyngeal abscess
• B Acute retropharyngeal lymphadenitis ✓
• C Acute suppurative thyroiditis
• D Acute tonsillitis

Explanation

The midline posterior pharyngeal wall swelling that moves with swallowing is characteristic of acute retropharyngeal lymphadenitis (suppurative adenitis of the retropharyngeal lymph nodes), not a retropharyngeal abscess which is usually unilateral and does not move with swallowing. Retropharyngeal abscess typically presents with neck stiffness and lateral displacement of the posterior pharyngeal wall. Acute suppurative thyroiditis presents with anterior neck swelling and tenderness, not posterior pharyngeal wall swelling.

Reference: Cummings Otolaryngology, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.